An NFL highlight video of long run plays is sent to the Chargers every week.

Last week, Trent Richardson's 26-yard touchdown against San Diego was on it. This week, three Doug Martin touchdowns of 45-plus yards against Oakland were on it.

One of these weeks, the Chargers believe, a Ryan Mathews touchdown will be on it.

The third-year running back is still looking this season to break loose for a long score, the kind of jolting play that can separate a win from a loss, something rookie first-round draft picks Richardson and Martin have recently reminded.

Richardson's touchdown came Oct. 28 in a 7-6 Browns win.

On Nov. 4, Martin's TDs sprung a 42-32 win for the Buccaneers, the team the Chargers will see Sunday. They'll travel to Tampa on Friday afternoon after practice.

Yes
55% (290)

No
45% (241)

531 total votes.

Since entering the league in 2010, none of Mathews' 475 carries have gone for 40 or more yards, his longest being 39. In that span, the Bengals' BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Jets' Shonn Greene are the only other running backs in the league with 300 or more carries without a 40-yard gain.

The focus is to polish Mathews' decisions and habits in the open field through film analysis and game experience.

“I've got to score when I get plays like that,” said Mathews, who had a season-long gain of 31 yards last week against the Chiefs. “Regardless of where I'm at on the field, if I get a breakaway, I've got to score with it. It's all it is.”

Running backs coach Ollie Wilson watches the long-run highlight reel with Mathews and Ronnie Brown. It's part of the various methods to develop Mathews, who lugs around a football that weighs about 15 pounds during practice drills to stress ball security, Wilson said.

The highlight reel helps break from the monotony of regular film review, among other benefits.

“It's not so much to look at other guys but just to see how guys are getting to that point,” Wilson said. “How do they get to the open field? What do they do when they try to work 1-on-1 on a guy? What happens when they've got two guys closing in on them at the same time? We just keep talking about those things. We're not there yet, but I think we're getting better.

“Once he gets one, then you're going to find out there's going to be a lot coming because he'll get a feel for how it is. Really, it's about getting in that open field and, 'Oh. That's what I should have done.' Then the next one comes. We're working on getting that first one. If we get that first one, then I think it's going to be pretty good.”

Mathews has been close.

Last month, in the third quarter against the Broncos, he took a carry on a zone stretch to the left side and cut right through a wide open hole. Safety Mike Adams dived at Mathews' legs to halt a 13-yard gain that had the look of going the remaining 61.

Last week, Mathews swept left on a second-quarter shotgun run. Fullback Le'Ron McClain sealed off Chiefs defensive end Tamba Hali. But cornerback Javier Arenas read run and broke coverage in support, clubbing at Mathews' right foot to trip him up for a 2-yard gain.

On paper, Sunday's matchup sets up as Mathews' toughest of the year.

The Buccaneers sell out to stop the run with an active front, loading the box and involving their safeties on run fits. The unit is allowing an NFL-low 3.4 yards per carry and 77.2 yards a game.

But it's not invincible.

The Vikings' Adrian Peterson and Redskins' Alfred Morris have touchdown runs of 64 and 39 yards this season, respectively, against Tampa Bay.

"He's been really close," coach Norv Turner said of Mathews. "He's going to get it. It's just finishing that run and getting your legs up. It seems like he's had four or five runs — he had a couple in the Denver game — (where) it's that last guy who gets his ankle. He's getting to the point where he has to run through one of those. ...

"He's doing a great job with his vision. He's getting through holes. Now, just find a way to run through a couple of those arm tackles and put together one of those big runs."